9 months.

Dear Norah

You are 9 months old my sweet dear. I can’t believe how the time has flown, and actually how repetitive I sound talking about that. You are such a delight. You laugh and giggle and actually know when you are being funny.

You celebrated your first Easter! You got attached to a chick your cousin Erin brought you. It was so ugly and gross but you loved it!

You have major separation anxiety, which continually grows and tests me. I want so badly for you to love people, and if I’m honest, for people to love you. I feel the tension to parent out of man pleasing rather than God fearing. I want people to like you, I want you to go to them when they reach for you. I also want to do what’s best for you. This attachment to me is natural. It’s a gift. I am your safety. There’s a reason we have the phrase “mother ship”. I get to be your rock. Your safe zone, your cheering section. You’ve discovered that. And for that I am grateful. So in each moment I ask God for wisdom. Do I hand you off and run to the other room so you stop crying? Do I hand you off and try to comfort you as you cry and reach for me? Am I creating a monster? The truth is most of the time I have no idea. Just walking through this one day at a time, and enjoying it.

You are a crawling machine, and you crawl with such purpose. You follow me around the house, my little companion. You are often content to sit in the hallway, playing with a bucket of toys that I leave for out for you, while watching me get ready. It is precious.

You’ve developed a way to have “conversations” with us. You lean in with your mouth wide open when we say give kisses! When your daddy starts to recite from the Clifford book you smile with delight. You rub your nose against ours for eskimo kisses. You occasionally wave.

You’ve been into exploring. You take things out for the pure joy of discovery. This could be anything. The contents of my diaper bag…the dog’s toys from the basket….your toys from the basket…your books from your shelf, the sky is the limit. Speaking of, you are also attempting to pull up. You are my stander. Although I think walking is still a long, long way off!

Your dad said to me the other day how much he is enjoying you and this stage you are at. He’s really able to bond with you, and you adore him.

We adore you sweet girl. And we pray for the strength and wisdom to parent and train you. You are my dolly. My baby. I love you!

Love, Mama

Meeting your Great Auntie Jill for the first time.

Baby Chenault's shower

First Easter at OCC!

Auntie Shelbie, you LOVE her

First time at Disneyland. You were so interested in everything@

Favorite moments

"Helping" me do laundry

A stubborn moment I won :)

Family Walks

Crazy 8

Dear sweet Norah Mae

You my dear, are 8 months old, and it seems in a matter of moments are quickly blossoming into …you. My baby is becoming my little girl. You have so much life and personality. We started this month still living at your Noni’s house, and ended in our new home. We moved in and I couldn’t help but think about all the special memories we will create here.

Our first home!

Right after we moved in your Papa came down and put in beautiful crown molding throughout our living room and dining room, such a servant!

Milestones…CRAWLING! About a week before you turned 8 months old you started to rock and I thought, NO WAY! But you were determined. You started your first wobbly movements forward, and would actually often roll to one side or the other in an effort to get to your desired destination. However, within a couple days you were off and moving, improving everyday. Within a w eek you figured out that you could actually crawl to accomplish your goals. If you wanted me, you could come down the hallway and find me, so precious!

Stranger danger is in full force. You want me. I LOVE and HATE that. I LOVE that you love me. That my presence alone can comfort you. What a sweet reminder of faith. HIS presence alone is our comfort. It’s also painful, because you won’t let people who love you dearly hold you. THE WORST!

You love and sort of hide and seek and giggle and delight with peek a boo. You make a new face where you squint your eyes and do a cheesy smile, it melts me. You thrash your head back and forth as if to say no, but for some reason you think it’s hilarious. You blow with your lips until you run out of breath. You are a doll.

I love being your mama more every day. You are my blessing, and bring me so much joy. I’ve been so surprised by how many people stop me and say they remember their kids being at that stage like it was yesterday, they tell me how fast it goes. I believe them! I am trying to soak up each sweet moment with you my dear. I’m not sure I’ve made much progress in this whole balancing act. With you crawling and down to 2 naps a day, I have less time for anything else. Which is ok, I love time with you, I’m just not sure how to get everything else done. I’m so behind at work, all the time. Not meaning to complain. Just processing through. Is that helpful to you? Will you one day read this, while trying to figure out how to be a mom and everything else in your life? As I learn to walk carefully, to figure out how to live in a way that please God, I know that at the same time I am imparting that to you. Teaching you to trust and obey him amidst the stress of life! How desperately I need Him

Family time in San Clemente

Little lover

Playing with Gigi

 Ok Crawler!

Seven Months!

Dear Norah Girl

You are seven months old! I cannot believe how fast your first year is going. I’m enamored as I watch you blossom into a baby girl full of giggles and smiles and sweetness. Oh how you laugh. You giggle, and throw your head back doing a deep belly laugh. You squint your eyes and smile at us, and you’ve recently taken to shaking your head back and forth. You delight in the world around you, taking in the breeze with a smile, touching every leaf, every orange, every light switch. You love to reach and explore, and it’s my joy to carry you around and watch the wonder in your eyes and joy on your face as you experience something new.

You’ve just barely entered the “stranger danger” phase. You’re a little more resistant to leave my arms, which I hate to admit I adore. I love being your safe haven, your refuge. I hope our home is always a refuge for you, a shelter. Yet even now, I push you to step past the protection I can provide you. I put you in the arms of other people, wanting you to learn to love people, wanting you to reach past your fears to see all that God has in store.

You had a big month of changes and transitions! We've moved into Noni and Papa’s house, which is God’s perfect timing and grace. I’ve had such a busy semester, and they’ve been such a help with you. It’s really eased my load as I’m not having to take care of any domestic responsibilities. It’s been harder to be busy, I miss you on my long Thursdays at work, but we get through one day at a time. You love your Noni, which makes it much easier to leave. You’ve developed quite an affection for them being around them so much. They dote over you, and you love to smile back, watching for their reactions.

You have mastered sitting up, and now will moving from sitting up onto your belly (never thought I’d see the day!). You are squirming and rocking and even pushing yourself backwards. The crawl is coming soon, I just know it. You are so determined to get what you want, and so you try and try and try. You broke your first two bottom teeth! While I miss your smile of all gums, there is something in me that loves to see you growing and developing! And your smile still melts me. You had your first nasty cold. It was so sad. You were such a dolly through it all. You were just quiet, not fussy. You have really learned how to sleep without a swaddle (also never thought I’d see that day!). It was rough for a while, but now you are an angelic sleeper. It’s fun to see the way you prefer to sleep on your tummy, all curled up. You went in to the doctor’s because you were sick and weighed 15 pounds 8 ounces, tiny little thing!

I am overwhelmed with all that is in my life right now, SO busy. But you keep me at peace. I don’t want to wish the time away, because I am enjoying every sweet moment with you. I am desperately clinging to God, for fear that I might loose it in those moments when I am most overwhelmed. I’m exhausted with work, but by His grace he keeps me.

You are so sweet with your daddy. You cuddle with him and laugh at him. You are so affectionate with him, its fun to see you already have a special bond.

Well darling, I love and adore you. I pray for strength and wisdom in parenting you.

One of the first nights we put you in a high chair. I could kiss your cheeks for days!

We ALL bunked up at Noni's while Hayley and the boys were here from TN. It was wonderful chaos!

6 Months Old

Happy 6 months Norah girl

Half a year already! That doesn’t even seem possible. You my dear are a delight. I love learning who you are. Everyday I see more of your personality shine through. You are playful, you are full of smiles and joy. You laugh often, especially at your daddy. We celebrated your first official Christmas! You celebrated your first New Year’s Eve, complete with you and Brynn falling asleep in the backroom only to be awakened in time for midnight. I have a feeling that’s not the last time that will happen.

We moved in with Noni and Papa at the very end of this month while we transitioned for our new home! It was incredibly stressful during one of the busiest semesters of my life, but your Noni was so gracious and wonderful and a HUGE help to me! I hope one day I can serve you in the same way!

Milestones:

Broke the swaddle, NOT an easy task my dear!

Sitting up

Christmas in Wrightwood!

Christmas with Gigi and Grandpa and the McDowell's!

Christmas in Fresno!

Your first New Year's Eve!

Living at Noni's...you LOVED that tree. You liked to point at the fruit and grab it with your tiny hands. You and Papa made a game out of it.

Friends at OCC during a Mommy Lunch.